Seed-separating mechanism for planters.



HARRY L; DOOLEY, or noon ISLAND, ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

'SEED-SEPARATING MECHANISM FOR PLANTERS.

Patented Mar. a, rare.

Application filed May 11, 1910, Serial No. 560,641. Renewed July 23,1915. Serial No. 41,621.

To all whom it may concern:

new and useful Improvements in Seed- Separating Mechanisms for Planters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing; a

This invention relates to improvements in seed planters. I

It is particularly adapted for use in corn planters of the check-row type but it will be understood that it is also applicable to other forms of planters. i

The invention has to do particularly with the seed separating mechanism and has for its object to provide a mechanism which is of simple construction and which is reliable in its operation.

The construction is similar in some respects to that disclosed in my co-pending application entitled Seed separating mechanism for planters, filed March 24, 1910, Serial Number 551,231. I do not, therefore, herein claim any of the improvements disclosed in the said application.

In the accompanying drawings, showing one embodiment of my invention Figure 1 is'a fragmentary sectional elevation through one of the seed separating mechanisms the view being taken along the line 11 of Fig. 2. F ig. 2 is a plan view of one of the seed separating mechanisms. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on the lines 33 of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary edge view of the seed plate.

'The seed separating mechanism embodyingmy invention is, as before stated, especially adapted for use on planters of the check-row type which are provided with intermittently actuated transverse operating shafts. The construction and operation of the planters of this type are well known and I have, therefore, shown in the drawing oniy the seed separating mechanism itself and the parts immediately associated therewith.

'13 represents the operating shaft of a planter and is provided at its end with a bevel pinion 19 in mesh with a bevel gear 20 rotatably mounted upon the supporting casing 21. The casing 21 is suitably mounted upon the forward'part of the'planter frame. The gear 20 is held in place on the casing by means of a retaining plate 22.

23 represents a casting forming the with the lower part of the sheet metal hopper 27 is a base ring 28 which is also pivotally mounted on the pin 24 by means of ears 29 and which is adapted to closely engage with the upper surface of the casting 23. The ring 28 is provided with a slotted lug or ear 30, and a bolt 31 may be passed through the ear 30 and a corresponding ear 32 on the casting 21 to secure the hopper in position. A spring catch such as is indicated by 33 isprovided to secure the casting 23 to the hopper, so that when the hopper is swung backward the casting 21 and adjacent parts may move with it.

34 represents the seed plate or seed ring which is formed with a large central opening and with a depending annular flange 35 .which is adapted to engage with the edges of anopening formed in the upper surface of the casting 23. The upper surface of "the gear-20 is provided with teeth such as indicated by 36. The teeth are preferably two in number. The seed plate or'ring 34' is provided with radially extending lugs 37, preferably four in number. are adapted to be engaged by the teeth 36 on the gear, and by means of these lugs and teeth the seed plate is rotated.

It will be noted that the hopper bottom casting 23 is provided with a large central circular depression having annular beveled edges 38 lying at an angle of about'fortyfive degrees. plate 34 lies in this depression in the hopper bottom. The edges of the seed plate, however, are provided with teeth 39 which are evenly spaced about its periphery and which extend radially outward and diago nally upward parallel to the beveled edge 38 of the depression in the hopper bottom. Each tooth 39 is provided with an upper inclined surface parallel to the surface 38,

- an upper horizontal surface 40, and an outer vertical surface 41. It is to be noted that the surfaces 40 and 41 lie above the upper These lugs 37 i The main part of the seed surface of the hopper bottom 23. The

teeth 39 are solarranged that thespa'cesbe? tweenthem are each adapted for the-reception of a single kernel of corn lying edgewise with its length'extendingalong thecirs cuinference of the plate.

42 is a crowned cover orcap plate for-the seed plate 34. This cap plate 42 is prefer-' ably cast integral with'the ring 28 and is teeth 45 are provided with rounded beveled edgesand'areshaped to actasguides and cooperate with the upstanding ends of-the teeth 39 to direct seeds into the seed cells;

At its-rear side the hopper bottom or seed plate supporting casting 23 is provided with a l-discharge opening 46, andithecasting 21 below it "has a registering opening 4Twhich connects withthe seed plate boot 48 through which-the seeds pass to the-dropping mechanism indicated in part by 49; Above and to one side of the opening 46 are mounted the knock-out50- and the cut-off- 51: The knock-out 50'lis in the form of a pivoted dog adapted to ride over theupper faces of the seed plate teethvand to be forced down hetweenthe-said teeth byacoiled spring 52 215313116 seed platemoves, one seed cellfafter another, underneath the knock-out. The cut-off- 51 is also in the formofa pivoted dog; The free end: of thecut-ofi-hasa horizontal lowerv edge 53 which" atone end rests upon an extended part offlthe hopper bottom and closely overlies-the upper horizontal faces 40: of the seed plate-teeth39.

In this position the cut-01T- isflheld yieldinglS by a coiled spring 54. I

' 55 is a housing which incloses-the knockout and the-greater part ofthe cut-off.

In operation the hopper27'is filled with corn and the seed plate 34 is intermittently rotated by means of thegearinggandiconnections which have been described. The greater part of the weight of the'corn is sustained'by the plate 42." At the edges of the plate 42 the corn is agitated by the upper ends of: the moving teeth 39. The teeth 39' tend to move the-kernels of corn circumferentially ofthe hopper; and the guides 45 engage the kernels;v and tendto force them toward :the' center of the hopper and'into the inclined cells between-the teeth 39; After a cell hasreceived a kernelof corn in the'proper edgewise'positfion, the kernel is carried; to the opening 46: wherev it is discharged by the kIIOCk-OHlSfiO-g Thecut- 'servesvto prevent more 7 thanone kernel passing to the knock-out in a single cell. Theio'pen sides ofv the upper part of the cells in alinement with the surfaces 41 permit the ready removal by the cut-off of any additional :kernel which may have. partly en tered a cell which has'already properly receivedone kernel. It is also to be noted that by reason of the inclination of the cell walls relative to the edge or face of the cutoffthe. seeds or kernels of comparatively widely varying widths are accurately sepa rate and individually discharged, for it is clear that with. two kernels, lying on their sides at an angle of'45,'or indeed at any angle less than, 90-9, and of dilferent widths,

thQldifiIQD-Qe in the clearance between the a seed gthat can be accurately separated, com:

binedjuwithj the longitudinal (circumferen: tial) adjustment of the seed cell, gives my improved seed plate mechanisma very wide rangeinhits adaptability to the planting of seeds ofri arying kinds-andsizes, for it-is well understood that it is the width and length ofthe corn seed or kernel thatare subject to the greatest variation, the variation of the thir difmensionz', e. the thickne'ssv of the- ,kernel-,qb eing relatively very small:v Ibis-clear thatirny-improved seed plate; with the inclined cells takes advantage ofthis characteristic of the corn seed.

W'hat I;claim;-is: 1.7 Ina? planter, aseed separating mechanisin'comprising' -a hopper base, and a rotaryseed plate having acircumferential seriesofcgradially outward and diagonally upward] extending teeth,-,the outer surface of the plate between -the.- said; teeth, the outer circumferential surfaces of the teeth and the adi acentwall ;of 'the hopper base being parallel and inclined to the, plane of rotation of the seedplate, whereby. there is formed a circumferential series. of individual seed cellsahavingtheir:side walls inclined to the plane of rotation of the seed plate, the upper ends -of the said teeth extending to, a point above; the plane of: the. hopper bottom whereby; they will act-as agitators for the superincumbent mass or corn in the hopper,

' substantially as set forth.

2.;Ina planter, the combination of a hopper; bottom, a, seed plate having a circumferentialseries ofradially in ard and agonally downward extending individual seed cells, seed agitators extending from the seed plate beyond the mouths of the cells, and a cut-off adapted to cooperate with the seed plate, substantially as set forth.

3. In a planter, the combination of a hopper bottom, having a depression with an inwardly inclined annular surface, a rotary seed plate having inclined teeth parallel to and adjacent the inclined surface of the depression in the hopper bottom, and a stationary cup plate above the seed plate and forming top walls for the seed cells formed between the seed plate teeth, the said teeth extending outward and upward to a point above the plane of the hopper bottom, substantially as set forth.

at. In a planter, the combination of a hopper bottom having a depression with an inward inclined annular surface, a rotary seed plate having inclined teeth parallel to and adjacent the inclined surface of the depression in the hopper bottom, a stationary cap plate above the seed plate and forming top walls for the seed cells formed between the seed plate teeth, the said teeth extending outward and upward to a point above the plane of the hopper bottom, and stationary teeth having beveled edges mounted on the hopper bottom outside of the seed plate teeth and adapted to cooperate with them, substantially as set forth.

5. In a planter, a seed separating mechanism comprising a hopper, a series of inward extending stationary teeth having non-radial edges arranged circumferentially about the hopper bottom, and a rotary seed plate having individual seed cells located below the plane of the hopper bottom, the

seed plate being provided with upstanding teeth adapted to agitate the superincumbent mass of seeds in the hopper, and to cooperate with the stationary teeth to direct seeds into the seedcells, substantially as set forth.

6. In a planter, a seed separating mechanism'comprising a hopper, a. hopper base, a seed supporting plate in the bottom of the hopper, the said hopper base and seed supporting plate having circumferentially arranged parallel surfaces each of which is downward inclined radially, a seed plate mounted for rotation beneath the said'seed supporting plate and provided with outward and upward inclined spaced teeth adapted to extend between the two said inclined parallel surfaces to form seed .cells between the said surfaces and between each pair of adjacent teeth, the .cells communi- HARRY L. DOOLEY.

Witnesses:

OSCAR F. LUNDAHL, 7 ROBERT M. ADAMS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. O. 

